Partridge with Moroccan Spices and Roasted Root Vegetables

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Medium

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 45 mins

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 partridges

Roast Vegetables:

• 500g small red skinned potatoes, halved
• 3 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 3 small parsnips, peeled and quartered
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1tsp cumin seeds, crushed
• pinch of saffron strands, crushed

Dressing:

• 25g raisins
• 25g dried apricots, quartered
• 100ml olive oil
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped leaf parsley
• 50g blanched almonds, toasted and roughly chopped

Mix together the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Brush a little olive oil over each partridge and rub with the spice mixture. Place on a covered plate and leave in the fridge for about an hour to absorb the flavours.

For the roast vegetables: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C/Gas Mark 6. Place the potatoes in a large roasting tray with the carrots and parsnips. Mix together the olive oil, honey and spices, pour over the top, toss together. Roast for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak the raisins ad apricots in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain. Whisk the lemon juice and oil together. Add the raisins, apricot, parsley and almonds. Season.

Stir and turn the vegetables. Transfer the partridges to a baking tray and roast along side them for a further 15 minutes or until tender.